Second Update: Suddenlink official says majority of customers back online following wide-spread outages

As of 3 p.m. today, Suddenlink Director of Operations Wendy Purnell reports that the majority of customers affected by a widespread cable, Internet and telephone outage caused by suspected vandalism to the company's fiber optic line are back online.

"There are only a few hundred remaining who we have not restored," Purnell said. "But we are committed to making sure everyone will be back online before we leave here tonight. We are not leaving until this is repaired."

posted 11:45 AM

Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Lt. Steve Knight confirmed that the sheriff's office is investigating a call that came in at about 10:30 a.m. this morning from a Suddenlink employee regarding suspected vandalism to the company's fiber optic line.

Knight said according to deputy reports, the fiber optic line - which supplies telephone, Internet and cable services to Humboldt County - appears to have been cut in two locations last night, affecting about 2,000 customers. The first cut is believed to have occurred near Grizzly Bluff Road in Ferndale shortly after midnight, Knight said. About 24 feet of cable was believed to have been removed from an underground vault at that time, he said.

Knight said the second cut to the line is believed to have occurred about two hours later, at the south end of Scenic Drive in Trinidad, near the southbound U.S. Highway 101 onramp.

The damage is currently estimated at $10,000.

"At this point Suddenlink is hoping to have everything up and running again soon," Knight said, adding that a concrete time estimate for when that will be has not been provided.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

posted 10:54 AM

Suspected vandalism to Suddenlink's fiber optic line has resulted in Internet and phone outages across Humboldt County this morning, according to Director of Operations Wendy Purnell.

In a statement provided to the Times-Standard shortly after 10 a.m., Purnell said an estimated 2,000 customers have been affected by the outages reported in Big Lagoon, Trinidad, Scotia, Ferndale and parts of McKinleyville and Rio Dell. Purnell said technicians were dispatched immediately after it was discovered that the fiber optic line had been cut in multiple locations and are working to repair the damage.

”We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to restore service as soon as possible,” she said.

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office is investigating the suspected vandalism, Purnell said.